Abbott warms to indigenous day idea

Tony Abbott will not rule out declaring a national public holiday to recognise indigenous reconciliation.

Many Australians mark June 3 as Mabo Day - commemorating the landmark High Court land rights decision in 1992 which came about through the campaigning of the late Eddie Koiki Mabo.

Asked on Thursday what he thought about declaring a holiday, Mr Abbott told reporters in Canberra: "I don't rule it out. Reconciliation is a national challenge, as is the challenge of constitutional recognition."